The Trawler - Holiday 2023

The

Trawler

Special Edition | Holiday 2023

CO N TEN TS

INSIDE THE FIPOA

HOLIDAY FEATURES

07 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR STACIE THRUSH, COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR 15 REAL ESTATE: IN THE KNOW FRIPP ISLAND REAL ESTATE

08 A CHRISTMAS ANGEL ARTICLE BY DONNA REICHLE 20 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 45 WAYS TO RELIEVE HOLIDAY STRESS 53 EASY NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS 58 MISTLETOE

ON THE WATER 18 FRIPP ISLAND SEA RESCUE SEA RESCUE 30 FISHING ON FRIPP ISLAND - CAPTAIN RALPH GOODISON NATURE & FRIPP 56 FRIPP AUDUBON CLUB AROUND THE ISLAND 12 LOCAL ARTIST SPOTLIGHT 14 9 HOLE MEN’S CLUB 21 PICKLEBALL CLUB FALL 2023 48 COMMUNITY CENTRE 54 CHILDREN’S CORNER 61 WGA UPDATE 66 ST. HELENA’S ANGLICAN 68 CAPTAIN RALPH’S COOKING CORNER 70 SWEET PICKLES FRIENDS-GIVING 71 THANK YOU FIWC

SPECIAL FEATURED ARTICLE THANKSGIVING MEMORIES WITH THE FRIPP ISLAND WOMEN’S CLUB FEATURING PHOTOS, PRINTABLE RECIPES AND SHARED HOLIDAY MEMORIES PAGES 22-43

The

Trawler Holiday Edition 2023

Holiday Edition 2023 The Trawler, Founded January 1978 is published by and for the members of the Fripp Island Property Owners Association The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher.

OFFICE HOURS 8:30AM - 4:30PM

CONTACT Editor | Stacie Thrush Copy Editor | Meghan Johnson Contributing Writers | Pam Floyd, Dean Wray, Mary Jacobs Donna Reichle, Robin Monroe, Capt. Ralph Goodison, Charles Patty, Iris Golden Vanessa Penaherrera, Rebecca Climer, Chris Assaf, Stacie Thrush, Liz Chaplin, Colleen Goff, Carlene Rogan, Flo Kamradt, and the Fripp Island Women’s Club.

225 Tarpon Blvd.

Fripp Island, SC 29920 PHONE: 843.838.4155 WEB: frippislandliving.com SOCIAL: @frippislandliving

Photographer & Graphic Design | Stacie Thrush Photos for organizations are provided by each club on Fripp Island.

Email: contact@frippislandliving.com

LO U W OO D

- V I CE P RE SIDE NT

M O N T E RU N FO LA

- TREA SURE R

S H A RON LAW TO N

- SECRETARY

2023 FIPOA Board of Directors

BO B J OR DAN S C OT T R E A LE C LAUD E “ S KIP ” SHRIV ER JO H N S K I B A DAN S M I T H NA N C Y WI N G ENBACH

FRIPP ISLAND PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION SCHEDULE OF MONTHLY BOARD MEETINGS 2023

SATURDAY

DECEMBER 16, 2023

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9:00 AM

SERVICING BOTH HARBOR ISLAND AND FRIPP ISLAND

TRASH SERVICE OWNED AND OPERATED RIGHT HERE ON FRIPP ISLAND Call or email today to schedule service!

CustomCarting@gmail.com 843-441-7804

Deer Lake gals celebrating October Breast Cancer Month and Barbie Movie Day with lunch at Veranda Cabana Beach Club Photo submitted by Iris Golden

Quick Response and Great Service Special Pick-Ups Available - Contact us for rates

Love to write? Share your stories, photos or ideas for The Trawler.

Send your submissions for consideration to the Editor: communications@frippislandliving.com

2024 Trawler Schedule and Deadlines Issue and Release Date

Article Deadline

Winter Issue (January 2024) - Due date Thursday 1/11/24 Spring I Issue (March 2024) – Due date Thursday 2/22/24 Spring II Issue (May 2024) – Due Date Thursday 4/25/24 Summer Issue (July 2024) – Due Date Thursday 6/27/24 See The Trawler here on issuu

Fall Issue (September 2024) – Due Date Thursday 8/29/24 Holiday Issue (December 2024) – Due Date Thursday 11/28/24 Holiday 2023

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a l e tter from the edi tor As I write this letter in midNovember, I’m quite proud of myself having finished my Christmas shopping and made my holiday plans. And I have changed my holiday plans, and changed them again. but progress is being made.

I’m still in disbelief that Thanksgiving is just over a week away, as I write this. Then we will blink, and Christmas will be here.

Is time truly speeding up, or did we have a different concept of time when we were younger?

Either way, I’m still one of the most impatient people on the planet, and several people on my list already have their Christmas present. This is why I really shouldn’t shop so early. I also feel like everyone has to have a gift to open on Christmas, so I buy another gift. This is likely why they don’t stop me from giving gifts too early.

Growing up, I don’t recall getting to open any gifts early. It wasn’t for lack of trying! It seemed like an eternity until Christmas; looking at those presents under the tree, shaking them, and hoping for a tiny tear to give me the slightest clue or hint.

And of course, spending the previous weeks looking under beds, in closets, anywhere those presents might be hidden away.

My parents were way ahead of me, and I’m certain those presents were kept and wrapped off-premises, because I never found a single gift before they suddenly appeared under the tree. They were also wrapped with industrial strength paper, that wouldn’t tear for a a sneek peek. Nothing like the tissue paper consistency stuff that I use, whereas you touch the paper with your fingertip, it unwraps itself. Let’s not even mention that flimsy so called tape that can’t even stick to itself!

I once again proclaim that while I will be on top of things next year, and be an accomplished early shopper, that I WILL hold those gifts until Christmas! Or at least the month of December.

Another yearly proclamation that will go unfulfilled. Added to the gift cards only, eating less sugar and spending less money proclamations.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season filled with lots of memories, joy and happiness.

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A Christmas Angel Photo by 12138562- Pixabay.com

by Donna Reichle It would be difficult to find anyone who anticipated Christmas more than my mother. Growing up as one of seven children in a very poor family, all she expected to find in her Christmas stocking were an orange and a piece of candy.

Her father did his best to support his large family with odd jobs and occasional carpentry and farming tasks, but those were difficult times and his uncertain income barely provided the necessities.

When she married my father and established her own home, she made every effort to ensure that her family would never experience the disappointment she had often felt on Christmas morning.

When I was a young child, my Christmas excitement began with the arrival of the annual “Christmas catalogues.” In those days, the only mail-order catalogues were

those distributed by Sears Roebuck and Montgomery Ward, a far cry from the overwhelming number that arrive in our mailboxes daily today! Upon the arrival of these two “wish books,” my brother and I spent hours poring over their contents and making our lists for Santa, his containing sports items and toy trucks, mine filled with dolls and art materials.

My mother became the keeper of the lists, although we also mailed our lists to Santa at the North Pole, just in case!

Without the convenience of faxes, the Internet, and “800 numbers,” she then filled out the order forms and mailed them to the department store warehouses. In a few weeks, mysterious packages began to arrive and be hidden away until the treasures they contained were set out on Christmas morning. One particular holiday season, when I was about 8 years old, the packages didn’t arrive. A truckers’ strike

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had jeopardized Santa’s delivery! To add to my parents’ anxiety, a typical Wisconsin blizzard made filling Santa’s lists at local department stores almost impossible.

I can still remember the Saturday before Christmas when my father canceled his usual trip to Chicago for his bookkeeping job so that he could stay home with my brother and me. My mother, in the meantime, bundled up in her heavy winter coat, “babushka,” and galoshes and trudged to the bus stop a few blocks away.

Like many folks then, we did not own an automobile and relied upon public buses and streetcars for local transportation.

Although my brother and I had no perception that my mother’s numerous trips that day were related to our Christmas expectations, we knew that something unusual was happening. I remember peering out the front window as I strained to see her shadowy figure, loaded with shopping bags, emerging from a thick veil of snowflakes. Once the bags were deposited with my father, she again and again repeated her “pilgrimage” to try and find at least some of the items on our lists. I can only imagine what she went through that day in order to keep our Christmas morning from being a disappointment.

A few years later, after some of my classmates had shocked me with the news that there was no Santa Claus, my mother wiped my tears and explained in the best way she could the real meaning of Christmas. With a promise to not divulge this secret to my younger brother, I became her accomplice in the family Christmas preparations!

For several years, while he still believed in the magic of Santa, she would call me into my parents’ bedroom, open their closet, and show me the most recent arrivals, even some of my very own presents, from Sears and Ward’s! She made me promise not to let my father know I had seen my presents and to act surprised when I opened them Christmas morning! I guess I should have been disappointed Christmas morning, but somehow I enjoyed sharing my mother’s excitement. I think I somehow understood that she had missed so much in her own childhood and was, in her own way, sharing this one with me.

Although I often thought that someday we would look back and laugh about our “Christmas secret” when I had my own children, that someday never came. In October of my junior year in college, she became very ill and required surgery.

However, the cancer that was discovered had already spread and was incurable.

My brother and I withdrew from college for the rest of the year in order to help at home, he working in a local foundry to help with expenses and I becoming the caregiver for my mother so that she could live her remaining weeks at home.

I think she must have truly been a Christmas angel because she left us on Christmas morning, 1956. After that sad day, my father could never celebrate Christmas in our home again.

A few years later, another “Christmas angel” came into my life, and the joy of Christmas returned to my life. But that’s another story!

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The Gullah Way of Life presented by the Fripp Island Women’s Club Featuring Marie M. Gibbs, Ph.D - Nov 15 2023 Photos submitted by Iris Golden

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local

artist spotlight Highlighting Fripp Island artists,musicians, authors, and other persons of interest.

Robin Prince Monroe grew up on a little lake in Florida. “My mom was a teacher and my stepdad worked for the railroad. My brother and I could be found in the lake swimming, skiing, fishing or exploring, every minute that we didn’t have to be doing something else. That’s where I learned to love the water!

Eventually I left my little lake to go to college at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia where I studied to teach Deaf children, met my terrific husband, Merlin, and took a Kiddle Lit course that required me to read 100 children’s books. After that class I determined to someday write a children’s book of my own.

Merlin and I made our home in Upstate South Carolina. It’s beautiful there, and was a wonderful place to raise our kids. During our years in Greenville my first book, a devotional, was traditionally published followed shortly by four children’s picture books, and an article in Guideposts.

Also, during that time I had some amazing job opportunities that included: business consultant, elementary teacher, art teacher, Sign Language interpreter, real estate agent, Wine and Design teaching artist, and Tae Kwon Do instructor. I learned so much from every job I had, and from the amazing people I had the honor to work with. Life is certainly an adventure! But writing has always been my passion, so all throughout that time I continued to write, only occasionally sending out manuscripts for publication.

The first time Merlin and I came to Fripp was in 1987.

We came looking for a peaceful place to celebrate our 10th anniversary. We spent a sweet week together and decided right then and there that someday we would live on Fripp Island. Thirty years later we bought our home here, and were able to make it our permanent residence in 2019.

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If you are a writer or know someone who is you know that having your work rejected is just a part of the job. I received my first rejection letter when I was nine years old. I had sent a poem to Reader’s Digest and got back a rejection from an understanding editor who told me to keep writing. So I did.

Publishing has changed. It is almost unrecognizable since my first books came out in the 1990’s. Editors no longer have the luxury of taking an author under their wing and helping them get their work out there. Writers have to be social media, software, and internet savvy. And it seems that everybody wants to write a book and have it published, so the competition for slots in a publisher’s schedule is fierce. That’s the bad news. The good news is that it is easier than ever to self-publish your work. You just need the determination to learn the necessary programs, and the energy to promote your stuff in person, and on social media.

I haven’t completely given up on being traditionally published again, but I am enjoying being able to get my writing in a readable form without waiting years to hold my books.

Having said all that, if you are a writer, you write no matter what because you can’t not write, And it brings you joy no matter what the end result.

If you are seeking to be traditionally published my best advice to you is to learn all you can about your craft. Read!

Read! Read! Read the kind of books you’d like to write but read others too. And read books about writing. There are some great ones out there. My two favorites are, Walking on Water, by Madeliene L’Engle and Adoring the Dark,

by Andrew Peterson. But there are many others that are excellent, and you will learn something from every one of them.

protagonist and is set in the Everglades.

Ralph and Louie, a chapter book about friendship and community.

The 3-in-1 Series, picture books about the Trinity. God is Awesome!, Jesus is Amazing!, The Holy Spirit is Wonderful!

And 3-in-1 Together (all three books in one volume) In This Very Hour: Loss of a Loved One, a devotional for people who are grieving.

Ridiculously Easy Crockpot Recipes And my newest release! Our Fabulous Fripp, A photo book about our beautiful island.

All books are available at Amazon.com. Search for: Robin Prince Monroe Books I’m currently working on making them available here on the island and in bookstores.

Please take a minute to visit my web site at: www.

RobinPrinceMonroe.com to get to know me better and to read my blog.

I am also a visual artist. I enjoy painting and photography and have sold a few of my works.

Visit www.RobinPrinceMonroe.weebly.com to check out my paintings.

I believe that we are all born creative. My passion is to keep that creativity alive in me, and to encourage it in those around me, especially the children. My work reveals snippets of all the learning adventures I have been blessed to have, and reflects my life goal; to make God smile.

Go to writer’s conferences that have editors and agents attending, and that offer a time to meet with these folks about your work. Find other writers who get what you do, and who will give you gentle critique and blazing encouragement. We have a fantastic resource right here in Beaufort. The Pat Conroy Literary Center has bunches of classes, information about groups, and wonderful opportunities to meet authors, and hear about their journeys.

Above all be persistent. It is hard to get published. But you know what? There are writers signing publishing contracts every day. Why can’t you be one of them?

My latest books include: The Silent Glades, a middle grade novel that features a Deaf

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MENS

Nine Hole Golf League Contributed By: Dean Wray The Nine Hole Golf league is an opportunity for golfers of varied skill levels to play Nine holes on Wednesday mornings. We have golfers that score in the upper 40’s for nine holes and up.

Handicaps are netted off a player’s gross score so that a player’s net score is much closer to par.

We have all ages playing with most players in their 60’s or 70’s with some playing in their 80’s.

We play both Ocean Point and Ocean Creek courses usually alternating every month.

The annual cost to join this group is $15. Each Wednesday costs $5 to play with the group plus any green fees or cart fees you would have.

The $5 fee goes into a pot that is split each Wednesday based on which player or team’s net score is the best that day. You can play every Wednesday but you don’t have to.

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If you are interested in joining or have questions please text or call Dean Wray at 740-821-6458.

You could also email Dean at DeanWrayFripp@ Outlook.com.

The Foretees website is being used for the men’s nine-hole group and you need to register before noon on any Tuesday before the Wednesday event.

To sign up to play every Wednesday morning go to the website at http://web.foretees.com/frippislandresort/

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FRIPP ISLAND REAL ESTATE UPDATE November 30, 2023 The following figures from MLS compare year-to-date sales on Fripp Island from January 1st through November 30th each year.

SOLD as of November 30th

2022

2023

Homesites 61 32 Condos 19 24 Homes 76 75 Total 156 131 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------AVERAGE SOLD PRICE

2022

2023

Homesites $214,083 $198,564 Condos

$395,105 $458,917 Homes $894,087 $1,014,067 Homes avg. per sq. ft. $401 437

Homes avg. days on market 91 days 112 days --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------UNDER CONTRACT/PENDING as of November 30th, 2023 Homesites 6 Condos 2 Homes 7 Total 15 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------NUMBER OF ACTIVE LISTINGS on November 30th, 2023 Homesites 12 Condos 11 Homes 17

Total 40 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------For real estate assistance please contact: Charles Patty, Listing Agent/Sales Agent/Broker FRIPP ISLAND REAL ESTATE COMPANY Telephone: 843-597-1170; email: charlesp@frippislandrealestate.com

If your property is listed with another Realtor, this is not a solicitation.

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Deck

TheT ree Event We want to see how you bring the holidays to life inside your home during our Deck the Tree event!

Think you know your way around a roll of ribbon garland?

Well, join the festivities!

Enter in Traditional or Coastal Theme Category Event sponsored by the FIPOA Community Involvement

1st, 2nd & 3rd place prizes to be awarded in each category

Winners will be announced on December 22nd To enter, snap a photo of your tree and email to: frippislandpoafun@gmail.com

by Dec 20th at 4:30 PM

Halloween party 2023

Fripp Island Sea Rescue Mary T. Jacobs, Communications Officer

What a busy year 2023 was for the seventeen, all-volunteer members of Fripp Island Sea Rescue! We had 32 total calls for service, of which 26 were SAR calls (Search and Rescue). In addition, we supported 33 USCG (US Coast Guard) helicopter training missions by launching one of our boats to keep passing boats at a safe distance, and to be in position to assist the USCG crew if they or their helo got into trouble. Can you guess which are the busiest months for sea rescues? Over the past two years, 43% of our SAR calls came in during the combined months of June and July, and a whopping 80% of our SAR calls came in during the six months from May to October - clearly our busy season!

Mission of the Year If we had to pick a “FISR Mission of the Year,” it would be, hands down, the rescue of a captain and his pets from his liveaboard Cal 39 sailing yacht on Saturday 16-Sep-2023. This mission had a lot of challenges, not to mention the added dimension of pets involved.

The captain was cruising the coast off Fripp Island when he decided to drop anchor for the night. When he woke up the next morning, he found himself in need of medical assistance. He radioed for help from Coast Guard Sector Charleston on VHF channel 16, and the USCG called Beaufort County Fire Dispatch who toned the case out via pager. FISR was the first responding agency on scene, with Boat Crew including Eric Roberts, Harold Waller and Jimmy Myers aboard its flagship rescue vessel R-1, a Boston Whaler 22’ Dauntless. USCG launched their 41’ RBM (Re-

sponse Boat Medium) with a crew of five from Station Tybee. The Cal 39, with a bright yellow dinghy in tow, was found anchored about 3 nautical miles due south of Ocean Point, well outside the sandbars off Fripp beach, with winds of 12 knots gusting to 20 knots, and 3 foot seas - in other words: challenging conditions in which to effect a transfer.

The seas were too rough for R-1 to safely approach the sailboat, so we waited for the much more capable 41’ RBM from Station Tybee. Upon its arrival at 9:35 am, the RBM crew approached the sailboat, boarded, and prepared to transfer the captain. But hold on!

Barkley, a small 14-year old dog, and JáSea (pronounced JC), a cat less than a year old, also needed to come off the yacht! A doggie-PFD with a carrying handle was put on Barkley, and he was handed over to the crew on the RBM, along with JáSea nestled in his cat carrier. Then the captain was brought aboard, and the RBM followed R-1 through FISR’s established route between the sandbars and into Fripp Inlet, where the waters were much calmer, so that the captain and his pets could be transferred safely to R-1, which transported her precious cargo to the Fripp Marina, where EMS was waiting to receive the captain, and where Katherine Samples, our Base Duty Officer, was waiting to receive the pets. She phoned her friend Margit Resch and asked if she could take the pets overnight. “Of course I can!” was Margit’s cheerful reply.

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Before departing the area, the USCG crew made sure that the anchor light was turned on at the top of the sailboat’s mast, and the anchor rode was let out several feet to improve the scope so as to improve the holding factor, decreasing the odds of the anchor dragging across the bottom overnight. The next day, the yacht was towed by a commercial towing service into a marina in Port Royal.

A week later, the pets were delighted to be reunited with their captain at the marina, and they soon set sail to continue their voyage. Margit and Eric were sad to see them go - they had really enjoyed keeping Barkley and JáSea for the week. Barkley got a lot of walks and a good shampoo and brush-out; but when offered the same spa treatment, JáSea said “Just a brush-out for me, thank you all the same!”

Volunteers and Donations FISR is in the process of forming our recruit class of 2024, and will soon begin winter training to get them and our experienced crew ready for the next busy season. If your curiosity is piqued by what you’ve read thus far, check out our website at www.fisearescue.org for more information about how you can get involved, or visit our Facebook page. We operate 100% on donations and one fundraiser per (The St. Paddy’s Golf Tournament & Silent Auction), and we receive no government funding. On the website you can press the “DONATE” and/or the “VOLUNTEER” button on any page. Any questions? Call Skipper Eric Roberts at (843) 539-9674, First Mate Harold Waller at (404) 668-4774, or our Base Duty Officer at (843) 575-2443. All numbers can be called 24x7.

Sea Rescue Initiatives

FISR is always looking for ways to improve the safety of boaters in our waters, and for ways to improve our rescue capabilities. This year we have been doing research in three major areas: • Use of drones to support rescue missions • Improvement of the marker buoys in Story River so as to better warn boaters away from the mud flats • Additional capabilities to conduct more timely rescues in the Skull Inlet area and out front off of the Fripp beach As we get closer to the 2024 busy season, we’ll keep you updated on any progress we make on these and other initiatives.

Fripp Island Sea Rescue

Stay connected with FISR at:

www.FISeaRescue.org

@FrippIslandSeaResuce

2023 Holiday Gift Guide Submitted by Stacie Thrush, Editor Photo by PublicDomainPictures - Pixabay.com

Wireless mobile mini color printers are something that’s fun, convenient, and makes it easy to instantly print those special moments on the go. Portable Bluetooth speakers have also been mentioned in my articles in previous years that are still a popular and affordable gift for all ages.

Personalized song plaques have been suggested by numerous articles. You can upload a photo, add the Spotify song link, add a base and light, and you have a beautiful personalized keepsake.

If you are in need of some Holiday gift inspiration, I’ve put together some popular gadgets and gift ideas.

Camera and video drones are growing even more in popularity and it’s a great gift idea for anyone who enjoys gadgets and especially those who love to take photos and create videos. Autel and DJI, for example, offer affordable models that are compact, easier to learn and both offer a user-friendly smart phone app and safety features for beginners, and drones appeal to teenagers to older adults. There a lots of other brands to choose from such as Holy Stone, Potensic, and EXO that will allow you to choose what fits your needs and budget.

Another popular gadget in recent years, the Oculus Quest 2 VR headset, continues to garner excitement, and with the release of the Quest 3 this year, users get an even better VR experience with mixed reality and a lighter design that can provide more comfort. The Quest 2 is still a solid option, and with a lower price tag, either model is a great choice this holiday season. These devices provide an immersive environment for games, workouts, or even learning new skills like playing the piano.

Check out the Rock Book Fusion Reusable Smart Notebook. It includes a calendar, note-taking layouts and to-do list. The pages can be scanned and digitally, then you can erase the page and start again. A great way to save paper and get organized.

And my favorite recommendations are always kitchen gadgets! One of my most used appliances is my indoor air fryer and grill combo by Ninja. You can also find mini donut and bundt makers, cake pop makers, shaped waffle maker, mini round griddles and more! Other gift ideas for this year include cheese board sets,Fujifilm Instax camera, rechargeable hand warmer, charging stations for ear buds, watches and phones, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X, and Sony PlayStation 5.

We have featured a lot of artists over the last few years that have wonderful artwork, books, paintings and photos that would make amazing and unique gifts plus what’s better than supporting local talent and getting a truly unique gift?!

You could also get your favorite Fripp or family photo printed on canvas or a Fracture frame so you can cherish those memories always. Plus you can shop our local area stores where you’ll be sure to find some inspiration and the perfect gift for everyone on your list!

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Beaufort Pickleball Club Fall 2023 League Submitted by Vanessa Penaherrera At the end of our 5th regular season, these were the standings of the eight Beaufort pickleball teams playing in the Beaufort Pickleball Club’s fall league: 1 Habersham 2 Fripp 3 Southside 4 Shenanigans 5 Coosaw Point 6 Beaufort Yacht and Sailing Club 7 Pleasant Point 8 Dataw To wrap up the regular season, all eight teams played in a quarterfinal.

Quarterfinal winners had to work through some iffy weather to play the semifinals, with Pleasant Point beating Coosaw Point and Fripp Island beating BYSC. In a stunning final, Pleasant Point came from 7th place overall to win the fall 2023 season vs Fripp Island, winning 6-3! For the third time in 4 seasons, Fripp has come in 2nd in the Beaufort pickleball league finals while running first or second overall during those seasons. We continue to have a strong, cohesive team, with a lineup of more than 30 players representing Fripp Island. Each team consists of 3.0, 3.5 and 4.0 level women, men and mixed teams.

Teams play 14 matches during the regular season, playing each other twice. Each level on the team plays best 2 out of 3 games to 11, win by two, for 9 matches overall in each meeting. Thanks go out to our Fall 2023 captains: Roger Stern, Tom Kudwa, Therese MacPhee and Emily Styles. See you in spring 2024!

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Thanksgiving Memories The Fripp Island Women’s Club

“The greatest memories are made gathered around the table”

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Meme’s Thanksgiving Meat Stuffing by Deb Tucker ¼ C Diced Onion ¼ C Diced Celery 1 lb Ground Beef 1 C Boiling Water ¾ C Seasoned Bread Crumbs ½ C Parmesan Cheese ¼ C Fresh (Diced) Parsley Salt & Pepper (to taste) DIRECTIONS: Simmer onion & celery (until soft) Add Ground Beef (when beef is cooked) Add boiling water, mix and take off the heat In a separate bowl: Mix bread crumbs, salt and pepper, cheese and parsley Mix in Ground Beef mixture and stir thoroughly You can let it cool and stuff the bird OR put it in a baking dish and warm when it is ready to be served

Fall Salad by Deb Tucker Green Leafy Lettuce (Romaine, Arugula, Green Mix) Roasted Sweet Potatoes Beets (2-3) Pomegranate Seeds (as many as you like) Candied Pecans DIRECTIONS: Layer and spread all ingredients in order they are listed on a platter Serve with dressings on the side or dress the salad before serving

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Dan’s Pumpkin Praline Pecan Cheesecake by Jan Bialas Gingersnap crust: 1 1/2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs 1/2 cup white sugar 5 tblsp unsalted butter, melted 1/4 teaspoon salt Grease a 9” springform pan. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Press onto the bottom and 1” up the side of the prepared pan.

4 (8 oz) packages softened cream cheese 1 cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 4 large eggs 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin 1 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat cream cheese and next 3 ingredients at medium speed until blended and smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add pumpkin and lemon juice, beating until blended. Pour batter into prepared crust.

Bake at 325 for 60-70 minutes or until almost set. Turn off oven and let cheesecake stay in oven for 15 additional minutes with door closed. Remove cheesecake from oven, gently run a knife along the edge to loosen from sides (do not remove sides of pan). Cool completely on a wire rack, about 1 hour). Cover and chill 8 to 24 hours.

Remove sides from pan and transfer to serving plate.

Garnish with Praline Pecan Topping: 1 cup granulated sugar 1 tblsp water 4 tblsp melted unsalted butter 1/2 cup heavy cream Stir together sugar and water in small saucepan. Place over medium high heat and bring to a boil. Let boil until mixture turns amber in color, about 3 minutes. Immediately add the butter and stir, remove from heat, add the cream and mix well. Set aside and let cool to room temperature. Pour caramel over the cooled cheesecake then scatter pecan pieces and sea salt over the top.

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Apple Cider Margarita by Jan Bialas 3 oz of white tequilla 1.5 oz of triple sec 1.5 oz of lime juice 8 oz of apple cider Rim glass with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon

Mom’s 24-Hour Salad by Sarah Turner Prepare one package instant vanilla pudding mix according to package directions. Fold in 1 cup whipping cream, whipped. Drain the liquid from one 1lb.14oz. can of fruit cocktail, one 11oz. can mandarin orange sections, and one 4oz.jar maraschino cherries. Fold well-drained fruits into pudding mixture, along with one 6oz. package miniature marshmallows and 2 medium bananas, sliced. Chill salad thoroughly. (Mom suggestion, serve in lettuce cups.)

Twice Baked Potatoes by Iris Golden 8 baking potatoes 1 package of bacon 8 tbls. butter 1 tsp pepper 1 tsp salt 2 8oz. sour cream 2 8oz shredded cheddar cheese 2 tbls cream cheese 1/4 c. milk Preheat oven to 425.

Bake potatoes for 1 hour Cook bacon until evenly brown. Drain and crumble and set aside Slice open baked potatoes and scoop insides into a bowl Mix in sour cream, butter, salt and pepper, cream cheeese, 1/2 of the cheese and mix until blended.

Using a large spoon, fill potatoes with mixture and top with the remaining cheese and bacon.

Return potatoes to oven and bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and filling is slightly brown.

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Cornbread Stuffing with Andouille & Pecans by Lannie Dunn Ingredients 8-9 cups of crumbled cornbread from a 16oz. pouch(s) that makes an 8x8 pan 12oz. andouille sausage, quartered and diced size ½ cup small, diced green pepper ¼ cup small, diced onion ¾ cup coarsely chopped pecans ½ tsp ground sage ½ cup reduced sodium chicken stock/broth Instructions Crumble baked cornbread and place in a very large bowl Cook sausage over medium high heat in a large skillet until it’s browned, about 5-7 minutes.

Place on a paper towel lined plate and press with more paper towels to remove the grease.

Cool slightly, then add to the cornbread.

Add the bell pepper, green onion, toasted pecans, and sage to the cornbread sausage mixture.

Stir to combine. Add ¾ cup of chicken stock and stir, adding more chicken stock as needed.

The mixture should be wet, but not sopping.

Pour stuffing into a dish that’s about 2.2 qt or1.8L (10x7 rectangular pan) At this point, you can cover the stuffing and let it sit at room temp for up to 3 hours or chill for up to 24 hours until ready to bake. Let it come to room temperature before baking.

Bake in a 350-degree oven, covered with a lid or foil, for about 15 minutes. Remove lid/foil and let brown for another 5-10 minutes, or until heated through. Serve hot.

NOTE – you can make the stuffing up to 24 hours ahead.

Havest Beets by Nancy Wingenbach Ingredients 1 can of beets, drained - or fresh cooked beets 1/2c sugar 1/2T cornstarch 1/2c vinegar 2T butter Preparation Mix 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch. Add 1/2 cup vinegar and let boil 5 minutes/ Add beets and let stand on back of range for 30 minutes. Just before serving add 2 tablespoons butter. If using fresh beets, boil until you can peel skin off, then cool, peel and slice.

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Cranberry Caserole by Carlene Rogan This fall casserole can pass as a fruity side or dessert at holiday meals.

INGREDIENTS 2 cups Whole Cranberries 3 cups Unpeeled Apples (Chopped) Tip: Use Granny Smith apples ¾ cup Sugar ½ cup Brown Sugar 1 stick Melted Butter 1 cup Oats (Uncooked) ¾ cup Chopped Pecans ½ cup Flour DIRECTIONS 1. Mix cranberries and apples in 11 x7 casserole dish 2. Sprinkle sugar over cranberries and apples 3. Mix melted Butter, with Oats, Brown Sugar, chopped Pecans and Flour into a crumble mixture 4. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes - covered 5. Bake an additional 15 minutes uncovered until topping is browned

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball by Angel Minton 8 oz cream cheese softened 1/2 c butter softened 3/4 c powdered sugar 2 Tbsp brown sugar 1/4 tsp vanilla 3/4 c mini chocolate chips 3/4 c chopped pecans Graham crackers Beat butter and cream cheese until well blended.

Add powdered sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla. Mix well.

Stir in the mini chocolate chips. Tip: Scrape the bowl so that it’s all in the center of your bowl.

Chill for 2 hours. Shape into a ball and roll in the chopped pecans.

Serve with graham crackers.

I serve this with chocolate Teddy Grahams and the kiddos love that!

This can be made days in advance. Serve at room temperature so it’s nice and creamy.

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Butternut Squash & Sweet Potato Soup by Debbie Perrone This easy-to-make butternut squash soup with sweet potatoes, apples, and warm spices tastes like fall in a bowl.

Servings: 6-8 INGREDIENTS • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter • 2 cups roughly chopped yellow onions • 2 pounds pre-cut butternut squash • 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 1½ pounds before peeling) • 8 cups chicken broth • 1½ teaspoons salt • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper • 1 tart yet sweet apple, such as Fuji or Honeycrisp, cored, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces • 3 tablespoons honey • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon • ¼ teaspoon ground mace • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg • 1 cup heavy cream INSTRUCTIONS 1. Melt the butter over medium heat in a large pot. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the butternut squash, sweet potatoes, chicken broth, salt, and pepper to the pot. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low; simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat. Add the diced apple and honey and purée the soup with a handheld immersion blender until very smooth and creamy. (Alternatively, use a standard blender to purée soup in batches, being careful not to fill the jar more than halfway. Leave the hole in the lid open and loosely cover with a dish towel to allow the heat to escape. Pour the blended soup into a clean pot.)

3. Stir in the cinnamon, mace, nutmeg, and heavy cream. Bring to a simmer, then taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. To thicken the soup, simmer over low heat until desired consistency is reached.

4. Note: This soup thickens as it cools. If necessary, add a bit of water to thin it back.

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Sweet Potato Casserole by Nancy Wingenbach Ingredients 3c mashed, cooked sweet potatoes 1c sugar 1/2c milk 1/3c butter 2 eggs 1t vanilla Top with marshmellows or 1c coconut 1c pecans 1c brown sugar 1/3c flour 1/3c butter melted Preparation Combine all ingredients in a shallow, greased baking dish. Use butter to grease. Top with marshmallows or mix other ingredients well and sprinkle over potatoes. Bake at 350 degrees.

Freezes well before baking.

Thanksgiving Turkey by Jan Manning I use a Reynold’s Oven bag to make a juicy, beautifully browned turkey.

You can use either a frozen or fresh turkey.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Wash your turkey and pat dry with paper towels.

Use 1 TBLS. Flour to shake in the oven bag and lightly coat the inside.

Place the oven bag inside your roasting pan.

Place the turkey in the oven bag, breast side up.

Take ½ cup or 1 stick butter and cut into 1 TBLS. pieces.

Salt and Pepper turkey to taste.

Place 1 TBLS. butter pats all over turkey.

Close turkey bag with oven bag closure included.

Bake at 350 degrees as long as recommended on oven bag directions.

Let turkey rest ½ hour before slicing to your preferred thickness.

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Fripp Island Women’s Club Thanksgiving Memories The FIWC Board met to share a Thanksgiving Day lunch. Everyone shared their favorite Thanksgiving memory from their past! Memories centered around food, football, races, parades, where everyone sat and wedding days!

Football Memories: Deb Tucker—From an Italian family Thanksgiving and living in New England, Thanksgiving centered around food and football. First everyone attended the local high school football game followed by a full day of food. Mom made appetizers, Italian wedding soup, antipasto, homemade ravioli and meatballs followed by the traditional Thanksgiving feast of turkey with all the trimmings!

Debbie Perrone—Debbie, who lived in Connecticut and whose husband coached high school football, would first attend the rivalry match between the two local Bristol high school teams always played on Thanksgiving Day. Where to sit memories: Sarah Turner—Sarah shared that her family never liked assigned seating since NO ONE wanted to sit

by Uncle Albert!

Carlene Rogan—Carlene from Durham, NC always went to her grandmother’s home for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners where the whole family of 20 plus gathered. The kids always had to sit in the kitchen with all the food and lots of moving around. As the children grew older, they were promoted from the kid’s table to sitting with the grown-ups but alas as Carlene was the youngest it never happened for her!

Parade Memories: Jan Bialas—Jan always went to her sister-in-law’s home in Detroit, Michigan. Her brother-in-law worked for the Detroit Police Department so he and his wife would always cordon off a section of the parade route with Do Not Disturb tape and

place their chairs out for the whole family. Then the family had VIP pick up and transportation to the parade in police cars.

Jan Manning—For over 20 years, Jan and David Manning traveled to New York City for Thanksgiving weekend and followed their tradition of watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade in person in rain, snow, extremely blustery wind and beautiful sunshine depending on the year!

One-of-a-Kind Memories: Nancy Wingenbach—Nancy and her 4 sisters would stay at home while the husbands all went turkey hunting. On their return, they prepared and enjoyed both wild and domestic turkey and all the fixing plus the traditional sweet potato casserole made with marshmallows for over 40 people.

Angel Minton—Before she moved to Fripp Island, her family of 21 would come to their Greenville, SC home to eat good food all day, get so full they could hardly move, watch football, and plan the Black Friday shopping day.

Melanie Dunn—Thanksgiving weekend always includes celebrating special occasions such as their marriage of over 40 years, Dolf’s parent’s marriage, and Dolf’s Dad’s birthday which all occur often on Thanksgiving Day. Many of the family are doctors and pediatricians so there is rarely a meal that a pager or emergency call doesn’t come in!

Iris Golden—Iris’ family went to Grossinger’s, an 812-acre resort in the Catskills north of New York City. Just as now the Goldens raced—then in the Manchester, CT 5-mile road race and now on Fripp Island.

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The Fripp Island Women’s Club - First Meeting of the Year Photos submitted by Iris Golden

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ways to RELI EVE your

HOLIDAY STRESS

Illustration by BiancaVanDijk - Pixabay.com

Submitted by Stacie Thrush, Editor

Let’s be honest, we try to stay in holiday spirit, but sometimes things can get a bit hectic.

There’s so much planning and preparing, that sometimes we can let ourselves get overwhelmed or stressed.

The good news - there are things you can do to help minimize those unwanted feelings.

The Mayo Clinic offers these helpful suggestions.

Source: Mayo Clinic

1. Plan ahead.

With all the gatherings, some of those may end up overlapping. Make sure you can attend before committing. If you are the host, create a menu and list to help stay organized.

2. Say no.

It’s OK to pass on holiday commitments if you feel too overwhelmed. They also suggest sharing your to-do list with other family members.

5. Maintain healthy habits.

A little exercise can go a long way physically and mentally.

Especially when this time of year is known for over indulging.

6. Share feelings.

Accept any feelings you may have and open up to others.

7. Respect differences.

Some may have different viewpoints and there may be tension. Try to focus on the positive.

3. Plan spending.

Make a budget and stick to it to keep your spending from spiralling out of control.

8. Be realistic.

Don’t worry about perfection, just enjoy the time spent together.

4. Create relaxing surroundings.

Music, candles, or open windows can boost your mood.

9. Take a break.

Go for a walk, take a nap, read a book, or watch your favorite movie. Taking some time for yourself can help relieve tension.

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Conner Smith takes home second place in the bass category in the Annual Kids Thanksgiving Tournament, and some photos from the Holiday Boat Parade - Photos submitted byLiz Chaplin

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MGA Men’s Golf

The MGA is the Golf Association for Fripp Island All Rounds are played at the Ocean Point and Ocean Creek Courses.

Each course is rotated on a monthly basis and alternate monthly throughout the year.

Get the Schedule of Events and Tee Times at Fore Tees Holiday Spring 2021 2022 2021 | 15 47| 13

COMMUNITY CENTRE Contributed By: Rebecca Climer, FICC Board President

News from the Fripp Island Community Centre and All Faiths Chapel It’s been a busy and successful year at your Community Centre and All Faiths Chapel. On behalf of the Board of Directors, I want to thank you for your support of all our efforts!

A highlight of the year was the completion of our kitchen renovation, a project that was several years in the making. Thanks to the continued support of our members (all property owners and long-time residents are members of the FICC), we were able to complete this project using cash reserves. The kitchen renovation resulted in a much safer and more modern environment for those using the Community Centre for an event. In addition to the renovation, we published a “wishlist” for items needed for the new kitchen and published it to Amazon. In less than two days, all the items were purchased by members, including a new washer and dryer to make cleaning up easier! I say it often, but can never say it too much, Fripp Islanders are the best!

If you’re new to the Island or have never visited the Community Center or Chapel, let me encourage you to do so. The Community Center has a large meeting hall named for long-time Fripp resident Jerry Hammet. This hall is the site of exercise and yoga classes, card and mah jongg groups, Bingo and Fripp Island Women’s group meetings and is where we all vote and get our flu shots. It has been the site of many celebratory receptions, as well as times of sadness and consolation when a memorial service is held. The All Faiths Chapel offers a weekly Vespers service and beautiful special services at Easter and Christmas.

Many couples have begun their married lives here. Others have said their goodbyes to family and friends who may rest in the Columbarium located near the Chapel. The Fripp Island Friends of Music organization offers a varied concert schedule from October to April in the Chapel and the Audubon Club meets in the Chapel, as well.

The members of the FICC Board like to think of the Centre as the center of the Fripp Island community. There is no charge to become a member and,

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thanks to the volunteer spirit on Fripp, many of the above-mentioned activities are offered free of charge to Islanders.

When there is a charge, you can rest assured it’s a bargain offering quality much greater than the cost. As a 501(c)3 organization, we do rely on donations and ongoing support of activities to keep the Centre open and viable. If you’ve been surprised by the level of activity at the Centre (nearly 100 events per month) and would like to support the FICC, please plan to attend an upcoming Community Dinner, join an organization that meets at the Centre or donate to our annual fund, going on til January 31st. Our goal for 2024 is $50,000 which is about half of our annual operating expense. You can mail checks to: FICC, 205 Tarpon Boulevard, Fripp Island, South Carolina, 29920.

On behalf of the Board, I wish you very Happy Holidays and a joyous New Year!

Here’s hoping we see you at the Fripp Island Community Centre and All Faiths Chapel soon!

Rebecca Climer FICC and All Faiths Chapel Board President

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WINTER FISHING LOOKING GOOD

Left: She caught this Sheppshead on Miss Lia 11 and told Captain George she plans to cook and eat him for dinner. Right:Redfish caught in the inlet

Contributed By: Captain Ralph Goodison Great fall fishing greets our Fripp Island fisherman. Good catches of Trout, Black Drum, Sheepshead, Whiting, Shark and Redfish. As we are moving to winter fishing we can expect it to slow a bit and look for the honey holes where fish will gravitate to. Find them, and you find more fish.

FISHING REPORT INSHORE: Wardles Landing, Maxwell Bridge and South End of Tarpon have slowed a bit. Good Trout, Black Drum, Whiting, with Redfish slowing along with Sheepshead.

NEARSHORE Fripp Reef, Drydock and 6HI good Black Drum, Trigger, Vermillion Snapper and Blackbass and some large Redfish. You can expect good fishing nearshore.

OFFSHORE: Not many stream reports with many offshore storms but some Kingfish, Wahoo and Blackfinn Tuna still being caught.

Lewis Turner and Jeff Pickney have the Marina in full operation with the marina having a well stocked Minimart, Fishing supplies and a great Deli and yes hot soup, for those cold winter days. Excursions rents not only golf carts, boats, bikes, scooters but can help you plan your 2024 needs for a great vacation.

Remember “Fripp Is Not Perfect But Is Darn Close.”

Trout are filling coolers this year around Fripp

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ANNUAL THANKSGIVING KIDS FISHING TOURNAMENT NETS 92 JUNIOR FISHERMEN Contributed By: Captain Ralph Goodison

The kids were greeted by rain but, it didn’t deter them from serious fishing. This year there was as many girls fishing as boys. The kids had great catches this year.

Grandmom Carol Seegert had 4 of her grandchildren fishing and they all caught fish. Grandmom was happy as well as the kids.

It warms your heart to see mom and dad with the kids having a great time together. Thanks to the marina and the Fripp Company for having a great family outing on Fripp Island.

The marina and Excursions staff want to wish everyone a great Holiday Season and a Great New Year.

Sister and brothers all caught fish at the Kids Tournament Below - 92 kids braved the rain but kep the rods in the water and had a great time and caught fish and prizes.

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Easy New Years Resolutions

SUBMITTED BY: STACIE THRUSH, EDITOR

24 Easy Resolutions for 2024 Does the thought of making another New Years Resolution leave you feeling defeated?

But doesn’t it feel good, with a new year, a fresh start to set a goal and achieve it?

Resolutions don’t necessiarly mean changing an undesired trait or major accomplishment.

Rather than something that feels like chore, how about things that feel more rewarding and attainable?

Here is a list of 24 Easy Resolutions for 2024!

Illustration by Tumisu - Pixabay.com

1. Read more books 2. Go someplace you’ve never been 3. “Unplug” at least once a week 4. Volunteer 5. Make time for yourself 6. Be more focused on each task 7. Call friends and family 8. Keep a diary or journal 9. Start a new hobby 10. Try a new restaurant 11. Send handwritten letters 12. Donate unwanted items 13. Join a club 14. DIY or artistic project 15. Try Yoga or Meditation 16. Clean out your inboxes 17. Try a new recipe every month 18. Hang some more family photos 19. Give yourself a new look 20. Listen to more music 21. Change your routine 22. Learn something new each day 23. Organize your kitchen/closet, etc.

24. Spend more time in nature

Children’s Corner with Mary T. Jacobs Learning to be an effective writer takes lots of practice. I will focus on this topic for the next several editions.

Quote of the month: There are times that all you need is someone who will listen to you without judging you …not telling you what you should have done or should do, but simply, listening to you.

Bernard Kelvin Clive, author Dear Readers: We will continue to focus on writing! Setting the purpose for writing is just as important as setting the purpose for reading, because purpose influences decisions students make about form. In this issue we will cover two genres of writing. By the way there are six genres of writing!

Genre: Expository Writing Purpose: Students collect and synthesize information. This writing is objective; reports are the most common type. Students use expository writing to give directions, sequence steps, compare one thing to another, explain causes and effects or describe problems and solutions.

Activities: 1.

Ask your child to make a poster of what they did for Thanksgiving. Please include family and friends that were present. And especially pictures and names of the different delicious foods that were served. Ask them to share the poster with an adult. This will be fun!

2.

Ask your child to write an autobiography. Explain to them this is a story that tells about yourself. Ask them to write when they were born and details of their childhood as far back as they can remember. Parents show them their “baby book”.

This should help them begin the story. Ask them to write about what they want to do when they are grown. Ask questions such as: favorite color, favorite sport and why, favorite animal and why, favorite food, favorite game, etc.

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Genre: Narrative Writing Purpose: Students retell familiar stories, develop sequels, for stories they have read, write stories about events in their lives, and create original stories. They include a beginning, middle, and end in the narratives to develop the plot and characters.

Activities: 1.

Give your child a spiral notebook and call the book, “My Writing Journal!”

Read a story to your child and then ask them to write a different ending to the story. Share the story with at least two others.

2.

Parents, please ask your child to write a story using their imagination. Do this activity for at least five writing sessions. Then of course, read the story to at least two others.

3.

Parents, please have a writing session that the adult and the student write at the same time and then share the stories with each other. Just like modeling reading to your child, but this is modeling writing with your child.

Added bonus: Ask your child to write one of the activities and send it to Stacie and perhaps we may publish one of your writings.

Happy Writing at Fripp Island and see you at the pizza truck!

Illustration by BiancaVanDijk - Pixabay.com

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Fripp Audubon Club

Submitted by Pam Floyd

Call for Volunteers for the 2023 Lowcountry Christmas Bird Count to be held on Thursday, December 14, 2023.

a. captain – organizes the team and directs its route b. recorder – keeps the record of birds sighted – species & number

Hello Fripp birders!

It’s that time of year again to participate in the oldest (124 years!) and largest world-wide citizen science project. We hope you will join Fripp Audubon this year as a volunteer to count birds on Fripp Island. If you are new to the Christmas Bird Count, we’ll help you and are happy to answer any questions. Most importantly, you do not have to be an expert birder to volunteer for this important event.

The following areas will be covered on the 14th: 1. Two golf courses starting at 8 AM. 2. Fripp Island beach – north and south end starting at 9 AM 3. Fripp Neighborhoods starting at 9AM. 4. A backyard bird count at your feeders – throughout the day.

The first three events consist of teams made up of the following:

c. spotter – along with the others, looks for birds d. photographer – helps spot & takes pictures to help ID a bird Remember, you do not have to be an expert birder to join and a detailed list of species will be provided.

If you are interested in participating, please email Sally Jessee skjessee365@gmail.com with the following information: 1. Your name(s) 2. Your telephone number and email address.

3. Your preferred event (golf course area, beach or neighborhood).

4. Your preferred role: captain, recorder, spotter, photographer.

5. If you are interested in participating but only as a back yard counter, please indicate that on your response. The more the merrier!

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Thanks for considering joining us on December 14th.

Manager of Natural History at the Coastal Discovery Museum will be presenting a program on Bird Migration & Exotic Birds of the NeoTropical Rainforest.

Fripp Audubon had a wonderful outing to Nemours Plantation on November 17th. We had 19 members attend and we identified 67 different species of birds with over 1300 individual birds including 8 species of ducks and two rare birds for this time of year which were Stilt Sandpipers & Blacknecked Stilts.

Our January 25th meeting will be Felicia Sanders, Shorebird Coordinator SCDNR, presenting a program on “Red Knots in Real Time”. The February 22nd meeting will be Abby Sterling, Director of the Georgia Bight Shorebird Conservation Initiative, presenting Manomet’s Shorebird Conservation Efforts.

The Christmas Bird Count mentioned above is our December outing. On January 23rd we have an outing planned to Savannah Wildlife Refuge Wildlife Drive led by Bob Speare.

Everyone is invited to attend the meetings! The outings include members but non- members are eligible if space is available. Please consider becoming a member for as little as $15 a year for an individual.

Hope to see you at our December meeting!

We will do our best to honor your preferences.

Fripp Audubon’s December meeting will be December 21st. We will have a meet and greet starting at 6:00 with our program starting at 7:00 p.m. If you come to the meet and greet, we typically bring an appetizer to share. Carlos Chacon,

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Mistletoe Submitted by Colleen Goff, Head Naturalist, Fripp Island Resort

Have you ever been driving through a wooded area in the winter and wondered why the trees were bare except for a few clusters? It’s not treepattern baldness and there isn’t anything wrong with the tree, it’s Mistletoe! The most common type of mistletoe found in the low country is Phoradendron serotinum but there are over 1,300+ species of mistletoe worldwide. All mistletoe is hemi-parasitic meaning they grow roots into their tree host drawing out water and nutrients, but they can also produce their own nutrients through photosynthesis.

The North American variety genus Phoradendron means “tree-thief” in Greek, but while most tree’s parasitized by mistletoe don’t die, if left unchecked the growth of mistletoe can crowd the tree preventing it from photosynthesizing properly. How does mistletoe spread from tree to tree you might ask? Birds! Birds consume the white mistletoe berries and “drop” them somewhere else. The name mistletoe comes from the Anglo Saxons who noticed that mistle toe grew where birds gathered and left droppings. It literally translates as “mistle” meaning dung and “tan” meaning twig, giving us mistletoe A.K.A. “dung on a twig”.

Once a suitable host is found the seeds grow into a thick often rounded mass of branches and leaves almost like a basket. These masses are often referred to as “witch’s brooms” that can be 5ft across and up to 50lbs! Many birds species and small mammals nest directly in these “witches’ brooms”. As the mistletoe begins to bloom, pollinators are attracted to its flowers with 3 species of hairstreak butterflies depending on Mistletoe for survival. Hairstreaks lay their eggs in mistletoe, the young eat the leaves, and the adults drink the nectar, as well as native bee populations.

Other wildlife can consume mistletoe’s small sticky white berries, including deer, squirrels, robins, bluebirds, chickadees, and other bird species. Just because we see our island neighborhood deer eating mistletoe, does not mean that we should.

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Its white berries are poisonous to humans and when eaten in large quantities can cause stomach and abdominal irritation, vomiting, difficulty breathing, lowered-blood pressure, and slow pulse.

So, if mistletoe is a parasitic plant, with poisonous berries, and literally called “dung on a twig” why do we kiss underneath it around Christmas time? The tradition started between 1720 and 1784 in England or at least that’s the first time it’s mentioned in any kind of storytelling, or documentation. How did this custom come to be? No one knows for sure, but it might have started with a Norse mythology tale about the god Baldur, or it could have been an ambitious young man and a gullible young lady. What we do know is that in Charles Dickens The Pitwick Papers ,published in 1837, it was a well-known frenzied tradition of Christmas, he wrote the women, “screamed and struggled, and ran into corners, and threatened and remonstrated, and did everything but leave the room, until some of the less adventurous gentlemen were on the point of desisting, when they all at once found it useless to resist any longer, and

submitted to be kissed with a good grace.” It was considered bad luck to not kiss if caught under the mistletoe! In the United States the first mention of the tradition is traced back to Washington Irving’s The Sketchbook, published in 1820. In it he describes Yuletide celebrations in England to a larger American audience, “The mistletoe is still hung up in farmhouses and kitchens at Christmas, and the young men have the privilege of kissing the girls under it, plucking each time a berry from the bush. When the berries are all plucked the privilege ceases.” So, there you have it, what used to be an almost scandalous oddity is today a mutual romantic Christmas gesture!

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Holiday Golf Cart Parade and Santa’s Arrival - Photos Courtesy of Fripp Island Resort

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Please Join Us to Celebrate Th S u n d a y , D e c e m b e r 1 0th 5-6pm Beach Club Greene Chris Jones will perform Songs of the Season Refreshments Provided

Sunday Worship in Advent 9am- Beach Club Lawn Rev. Todd Simonis’ sermons for the four sundays in advent 3rd Hope 10th Peace 17th Joy 24th Love (St. Helena’s Beaufort)

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he Eternal Hope of Christmas Christmas Eve

St. Helena’s Anglican – Beaufort Sanctuary – 505 church street Parish hall - 507 newcastle street

9:15 am Worship with communion Sanctuary Rev, Todd Simonis will lead this service 3:30 pm Family Worship Parish Hall 5:30 pm Christmas Eve Worship Sanctuary 8 pm Christmas Eve Worship Sanctuary 10 pm Candlelight Service Sanctuary

for more information tsimonis@sthelenas1712.org

David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11 Holiday 2023

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Captain Ralph’s Cooking Corner Contributed By: Captain Ralph Goodison

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SHE CRAB SOUP Without a doubt She Crab Soup is not only a delicacy, delicious but expensive but you deserve it.

In a cooking boiler saute 1/4 cup of finely chopped onion and 1/2 cup of finely chopped celery in 4 tablespoons of butter until transparent. Add 2 tablespoons of flour and stir. Add 1 1/2 cups of crabmeat and 1 teaspoon of mace; simmer for 5 minutes. In a separate pot heat 2 1/2 cups of milk and add to crab mixture.

Add 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire and 4 tablespoons of sherry.

Cook over low heat for 30 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of sherry as served. You could cut costs by using the imitation crab meat chopped finely not bad but hard to beat the real thing.

Recipe serves 2

HAM The best deal on planet earth for the Holidays is ham. It is great and is one of the least expensive for a main entree and can be prepared with ease and used in many recipes: baked ham, multiple dinners, ham loaf with left overs, ham sandwiches, ham and eggs, etc.

OYSTERS We are blessed with great seafood in our area. We are also blessed with great local oysters. You can purchase them from our local seafood dealers in various quantities. A 50 oyster bag works well.

An oyster knife can be used to open them. You can make oyster stews, fried oysters, oyster pie, and steam them. In pots, on grills and get ready for an easy quick way to enjoy them (Microwave Them). Put them in the microwave and heat until they pop open.

Yes, easy, just add butter and WOW! HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND GOOD EATING Photo by Teefarm Pixabay.com

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Sweet Pickles Celebrate “Friends-giving” Submitted by Flo Kamradt Sweet Pickles has over 65 members who play round robins weekly. While some of the “pickles” play part of the year, the group has been going for almost 3 years!

November 17, 2023 Karen Ruszkowski, Anne Nizzi and newcomers, Brian and Debbie O’Hearn organized a lovely “bench brunch” to celebrate the many friendships Frippers have made!

Mr. and Mrs. Oley Carp sent the group a stunning bouquet marking the event. A good “Blunch” was had by all!

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Thank you FIWC! As many of you know, several of our members have had recent injuries. We recently received an email from one of our long-time friends who is in Rehab recovering from a broken leg. She said to share it with you and she writes: “Today, my Physical Therapy Assistant, realizing I was from Fripp, again thanked our Club for his scholarship a few years ago. He also remarked how gracious all of you were at the luncheon welcoming him and his wife”.

On behalf of the FIWC Scholarship Committee, we want to thank all of you for continuing to offer scholarships to older adult students returning or going to college for the first time. Robert Powell received this award in 2019 and has achieved his goal. Now he gives back to our community and us!

Holiday 2023

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